DBS Checks
Intro to DBS checks
DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service. It is a government service that checks your criminal record on behalf of employers. You will need a DBS check to work with children (eg. as a teacher or childminder) or vulnerable adults, such as those with cognitive disabilities or elderly people. Some other jobs also require a DBS check- an employer will tell you early in the recruitment process that they will need this. You are legally required to provide full and accurate information on the DBS form. For trans people, this includes your deadname.
Luckily for us, there is a way of keeping this information from being shown to your employer or displayed on your certificate. This is known as the sensitive applications route. It means that, whilst you will still have to put your deadname in the ‘other names’ section of the form, the only people who will see this are those who need to, to check your history effectively.
How to use the sensitive applications route
You will still complete the same form sent to you by your employer. However, before submitting your application you need to contact the sensitive applications team by email or phone (sensitive@dbs.gov.uk, 0300 106 1452). It is worth doing this as soon as you can, so your employment is not delayed by the process. They deal with each application individually, so will give you advice or ask for information based on your specific circumstances. After they have told you what to do, you then go ahead and submit the usual form with all your information (including previous legal names).
Your DBS certificate won’t include your deadname, and your employer won’t need to know it or see it. It is entirely up to you whether you choose to use this route. If you have to provide a deed poll to your employer along with right-to-work documents (for example, if your passport still has your deadname on it) you might decide not to hide your deadname on your DBS certificate, as your employer will have seen it anyway. However- it is worth considering that you might have a new passport by the time you have a new job with a new employer, and if you have roles where you are signed up to the DBS update service (where your records are checked regularly) that it might be worth the extra effort for your future self.
Sources
- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transgender-applications
By Caspar
